Key considerations on the development of biodegradable biomaterials for clinical translation of medical devices:With cartilage repair products as an example

With the interdisciplinary convergence of biology,medicine and materials science,both research and clinical translation of biomaterials are progressing at a rapid pace.However,there is still a huge gap between applied basic research on biomaterials and their translational products-medical devices,where two significantly different perspectives and mindsets often work independently and non-synergistically,which in turn significantly increases financial costs and research effort.Although this gap is well-known and often criticized in the biopharmaceutical industry,it is gradually widening.In this article,we critically examine the developmental pipeline of biodegradable biomaterials and biomaterial-based medical device products.Then based on clinical needs,market analysis,and relevant regulations,some ideas are proposed to integrate the two different mindsets to guide applied basic research and translation of biomaterial-based products,from the material and technical perspectives.Cartilage repair substitutes are discussed here as an example.Hopefully,this will lay a strong foundation for biomaterial research and clinical translation,while reducing the amount of extra research effort and funding required due to the dissonance between innovative basic research and commercialization pipeline.